Campanula plant named &#39;cbo 1&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘CBO 1’, characterized by its upright to spreading plant habit; dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to less upright stems; vigorous growth habit; no need for vernalization for flower induction; shorter cultivation period; and single, violet colored bell-shaped flowers.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Campanula portenschlagiana

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘CBO 1’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCampanula plant, botanically known as Campanula portenschlagianaSchult., commonly known as Dalmatian Bellflower, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘CBO 1’.

The new Campanula, ‘CBO 1’, is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Jörgen Kurt Andersen, in Fraugde, Denmark.The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Campanulacultivar with upright to spreading, plant habit and unique coloredflowers.

The new Campanula cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlledbreeding program by the inventor in 2004 in Fraugde, Denmark. The newCampanula, ‘CBO 1’ originated from an induced mutation of an unpatentedcultivar from the proprietary breeding line of Campanulaportenschlagiana Schult. designated ‘2502’. The new Campanula ‘CBO 1’was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plantin April of 2004 in a controlled environment in Fraugde, Denmark. Theinventor selected ‘CBO 1’ on the basis of its upright to spreading planthabit and violet flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar by terminal cuttingswas first performed in April 2005 in Fraugde, Denmark, and hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproducestrue-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘CBO 1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘CBO 1’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright to spreading plant habit;

2. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to less upright stems;

3. Vigorous growth habit;

4. No need for vernalization for flower induction;

5. Shorter cultivation period; and

6. Single, violet colored bell-shaped flowers.

Plants of the instant cultivar ‘CBO 1’ differ primarily from plants ofthe parent, an unpatented cultivar from the proprietary breeding line ofCampanula portenschlagiana Schult. designated ‘2502’, in the followingcharacteristics:

1. plants of ‘CBO 1’ produce flowers in a shorter cultivation period(about 14 weeks) than plants of ‘2502’ (about 16 weeks);

2. plants of the ‘CBO 1’ produce more flowers per lateral stem (about 8to 10, arranged upright to outward) than plants of ‘2502’ (about 4 to 6,arranged upright);

3. plants of the ‘CBO 1’ produce darker violet mature petals (upperside: RHS 86B) than plants of ‘2502’ (upper side: RHS N87D);

4. plants of the ‘CBO 1’ produce sepals which are 1) larger (length:about 5 mm to 6 mm; width: about 2 mm) and 2) differ in color (mature,upper side: yellow-green, RHS 146A, and gray-purple, RHS 184B, neartips) than plants of ‘2502’ (sepals are 1) smaller (length: about 3 mmto 4 mm; width: about 1 mm) and 2) green in color (mature, upper side:RHS 1138A);

5. plants of ‘CBO 1’ are flatter in overall plant shape (flat, globularshape with ascending floral stems) than plants of ‘2502’ (globular shapewith upright stems); and

6. plants of the ‘CBO 1’ produce darker yellow-green mature leaves(upper side: RHS 147C) than plants of ‘2502’ (upper side: RHS 146C).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Campanula ‘CBO 1’, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which more accuratelydescribe the actual colors of ‘CBO 1’.

FIG. 1 shows a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘CBO 1’ (on right), as compared to ‘2502’ (on left) grown in a 11 cm potat 14 weeks of age.

FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘CBO1’ grown in a 11 cm pot at 14 weeks of age.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up top view perspective of a typical flowers andleaves produced by ‘CBO 1’ (on right) compared to ‘2502’ (on left) at 14weeks of age.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Campanula ‘CBO 1’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe plants of the newCampanula ‘CBO 1’ as grown in a heated and lighted, glass-coveredgreenhouse in Fraugde, Denmark, under conditions which closelyapproximate those generally used in commercial practice where day andnight temperatures in the greenhouse average about 18° C. Ambient lightlevels used while growing plants of ‘CBO 1’ are +40 Wm². Plants of ‘CBO1’ are grown with 8 hour short day photoperiodic treatments until weekfour, and then are grown with 18 hour long day photoperiodic treatments.Propagation and young seedling plants are exposed to 8 hour shortphotoperiodic treatments for about 2 weeks following planting of cuttinguntil roots are formed. Growth retardant Bonzi (0.2%) is applied twicewhen growing plants of new Campanula ‘CBO 1’.

The age of the ‘CBO 1’ plants described is 14 weeks old and grown in 11cm pots. The photographs and descriptions were taken during Spring of2009. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition, except where general colors ofordinary significance are used.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult.-   Parentage: Unpatented cultivar from the proprietary breeding line of    Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. designated ‘2502’.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21° C.            in tunnels in a greenhouse.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, well branched.        -   Root color.—Greyed-white, RHS 156B, to greyed-orange, RHS            174C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial, herbaceous, potted or bedding plant with            upright to spreading plant habit. Campanulate flowers in            racemes. Freely branching with lateral branches forming at            every node; dense and bushy. Freely branching, somewhat            brittle stems.        -   Crop time.—After rooting, about 14 weeks are required to            produce finished flowering plants in 11 cm pots.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate.        -   Plant height (from pot rim to top of plant plane).—About 9            cm to 11 cm.        -   Plant spread (width).—About 18 cm to 21 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Habit: Basal spreading branches, ascending            center branches, and spreading to procumbent peripheral            branches when flowering. Quantity: About 75 to 80 per plant.            Leaves per Lateral Branch: About 5 to 7. Length: About 6 cm            to 7 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Internode Length:            About 7 mm to 10 mm.        -   Stem.—Shape: Round with ridges. Strength: Stiff, somewhat            brittle. Aspect: Upright and spreading. Texture: Glabrous            and ridged. Color: RHS 146C, yellow-green.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Single, alternate. Overall shape:            Cordate, cup-shaped. Apex shape: Acute. Base shape: Cordate.            Length: Basal: About 15 mm to 20 mm. Apical: About 5 mm to            7 mm. Width: Basal: About 14 mm to 27 mm. Apical: About 10            mm to 12 mm. Margin: Dentate, and somewhat inrolled. Texture            (both sides): Smooth, glabrous, dull. Pubescence: Few,            short, stiff hairs on abaxial side and along veins and            indentations of margin. Foliage Color: Mature: Upper            surface: Green, RHS N138A. Under Surface: Green, RHS N138B.            Immature: Upper surface: Yellow-green, RHS 147C. Under            Surface: Yellow-green, RHS 147D. Venation: Pattern: Palmate.            Color: Upper surface: Yellow-green, RHS 146B. Under surface:            Yellow-green, RHS 146D Petiole: Basal Length: About 4 cm to            6 cm. Apical Length: Up to 1 cm. Diameter: 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm.            Color: Yellow-green, RHS N147D. Texture: Glabrous.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and shape.—Single, campanulate            flowers in racemes turning upright to outward, with small,            star-shaped calyx, acropetal flowering habit. Persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout spring to            early summer. Season can be extended by long day treatments.        -   Time to flower.—About 6 weeks after planting of rooted            cutting.        -   Flower longevity.—On the plant, flowers last up about 15 to            29 days; however, longevity of individual flowers is highly            dependent on temperature and light conditions. Flowers            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 6 cm to 7 cm. Diameter:            About 3 cm to 6 cm.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—8 to 10.        -   Number of flowers per lateral stem.—2 to 4.        -   Number of flowers and buds per plant.—About 700 to 900.        -   Buds.—Length: Up to 15 mm. Diameter: Up to 4 mm. Shape:            Oblong, ridged. Rate of opening: About 1 to 4 buds per day.            Color: Violet, RHS N87A.        -   Flowers.—Height: About 25 to 35 mm. Diameter: About 20 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single, sympetalous, basally fused,            campanulate. Quantity per flower: About 5. Length: Lobes            about 8 mm to 10 mm; whole petal about 14 mm to 20 mm.            Width: About 7 mm. Overall Shape: Sympetalous with deltoid            lobes. Tip: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Appearance:            Shiny. Texture: Velvety. Color (when opening and fully            opened): Upper surface: Tips, violet, RHS 86B; Inside base            of bell, violet, RHS N87B; Fuzzy fusion lines, white, RHS            N155A. Under surface: Violet, RHS N87B. Fading: Fades to            violet, RHS 85D; and withers to violet-blue, RHS N89A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Free, basally fused. Appearance: Dull.            Quantity per flower: 5. Length: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Overall shape: Sagittate, arrow-shaped Tip:            Cuspidate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous.            Color (immature): Upper surface: Yellow-green, RHS 146C;            Tips, gray-purple, RHS 184B. Under surface: Yellow-green,            RHS 146A; Tips, gray-purple, RHS 184B. Color (mature): Upper            and under surfaces: Yellow-green, RHS 146A; Tips,            greyed-purple, RHS 184B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm to 9 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Color: Yellow-green, RHS 146C.        -   Pedicels.—None.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamen: Quantity: 5, fused until pollen has            shed. Anther: Shape: Curling after shedding. Length: About            1 mm. Color: Yellow-white, RHS 158B, with violet, RHS N87B,            near tips. Pollen: Amount: Scarce. Color: Yellow-white, RHS            158B.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil: Quantity: 1. Length: About 12 mm. Stigma:            Shape: Tripartite. Color: Yellow, RHS 5A. Style: Length:            About 11 mm. Color: White, RHS 155A. Ovary: Color: White,            RHS 155A.-   Seed/fruit: None observed.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been tested    for tolerance to drought, rain and wind, and high temperature    tolerance. Plants of the new Campanula exhibit low temperature    resistance to −20° C. (if acclimatized).-   Disease/pest resistance: Not tested.-   Disease/pest susceptibility: Not tested.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named ‘CBO 1’, asillustrated and described herein.